Apparatus for welding



July 11, 19335 J. M. RQHLFING 1,917,901

" APPARATUS FOR WELDING Filed July 22, 1931 vz'sheeis-sneet 21 Patented .luly` `1.1,A 1933 UNITED lsflni'lfg:'s'

Y Joint 1L nomme, or Naw JERSEY, AssIGNon To Annalen FOUNDBY COMPANY, on NEW YORK, n; Y., A ConronA'rIoNor NEW y APPARATUS' ron WELDING t Appiiqatxti tuta- Iui'y as, 1a1. Ystrati m. 552,341'. f

chine :also including an annealing torch This invention relates to.A welding machines adapted primarily for uniting the edges of adj acentV metal sheets such, for example, as Vsheets for forming the shell of a or other metal container.

The invention-has n devisedrparticu- 'Y larly forfuse in connection with the welding I with the edges of the w'ork.

' a breaking down of the joint. ThisV is due c vision of al new of the longitudinalseams of ltubular Work which is'produced from sheets of metal, such as steel, the paralleledges 'of which are adjacently arranged topermitbthe deposition of weld metal therebetween to form a union It is well known in welding that unequal expansion of theV metal at a Yjoint resultsin poor welding and distortion and sometimes to straining of the joint either during the ing thereof whereby to provide substantially' uniform expansion of the work at the joint or area-to be welded.

Still another objectof this invention is the provision of a welding machine having means i for pre-heating the work at the joint to be welded prior to welding; said welding machine also having means for annealing the welded joint whereby the gradual cooling of the joint prevents unequal contraction of the Y metal.

' .-welded, and pre-heating torches actingagainst the under surface of the work at a. I

A further 'Object of this invention is the provision of a welding machine having a l'melding torch adj ustably mounted above the work adapted to Viuse'a weld rod or wire and to heat the upper surface of the work to be point in advance o the welding torch for pre-heating the. area to be welded, thereby preventing unequal expansion of the metal to minimize and substantially eliminate the'unequal strains in the metal which cause distortion of the work after welding; the matorch whereby to effect a welding or immediately ollowingthe wldtrate by way of a tanksuch as a railway adapted to actagainst the work at the welded joint with ahttt of less intensity than that of either the pre-heating torch or the welding cooling ofthe welded joint .to preserve the integrity of the latter.

gra or retarded Y A still further object of this invention' the A provision of'a welding machine which iscon-A 'tinnous and automatic in itsaction and which includes a means for pre-heatingthe work at :the work.

This invention also contemplates the proand .improved method of welding.

As a further object, this invention com# the'joint to be welded, a welding means im prises a new.and improved method of form# A ing welded joints for the-'adjacent edges of metal strips or pieces.

Other objects and-advantages Yof this in-A vention will' be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the Fig. 2 is an end view, partly in section, of Y' the welding machine.

Referring nowmore particularly to. the drawings in which similar characters 01E/reference designate corresponding parts inthe several views, the present inventionis particularly useful for welding together the adjacent edges of parallel metal sheets 2; which, in the instance shown, .are carved and illusof example porti'onspefV the shell The machine comprises generell `ayoke indicated at A which is suspende fromta` track 4 by means of trollies 6 having adjustable hangers 8 connected thereto and tothe yoke A; brackets 10 being provlded on the yoke which engage the lower' ends ofthe:

hangers 8 and the latter being provided 'withV hand-wheels 12 bywhich the position ofthe yoke may be adjusted. i The yoke A may be actuated relative to the track 4 eithermanu` allynor electrically and in the latter case one of the trollies 6.may be electrically 'driven in any desired manner. As shown-in Fig. 2,

the trollies include the rollers14 which co'..A

operate withlthe lower flanges w16 of the track V4. Obviously, any other desired `or pre-l -comprises the upper and lower jaws 18 and ferred construction may be employed for suspending the yoke A from the track.

The yoke-A is a unitary construction and 20, respectively, spaced to provide a gap 22 therebetween, and each jaw includes `side walls 24 and inner and4 outer members O26 and 28, respectively; the construction therefore, being substantially box-shape in section.

Secured to the inner member 26 ofljaw' 18 adjacent its forward end is a plate 30, the side edges of which-project beyond the side walls 24 of the jaw and have secured thereto spaced pairs of upright tapped studs 32 carrying adjusting screwsl 34 the lower ends of which are connected withbearings 38 ar-y i rangedbelow the projecting side edges of the plate 30 and in which spaced axles 40 are 'journaled.` As clearly shown in the drawings, the axles carry rollers 42 which engage the upper .surface of the sheetsi2 on each side of the meeting or adjacent edges thereof whereby to clamp the sheets or work against spaced pairs of rollers 44 mounted on axles 46 journalednin bearings 48 secured to a sup-l` porting plate 50 mounted on the .upper sur.

, face of the lower jaw 2() adjacent .the end thereof. A

The outermost axle 46 pivotally supports a lever 52 having a counterwei ht 53 at one end thereof andan upright re ractory block 56 at its opposite`l end whichis adapted t0.-

contact with the lower surfaces' of the sheets 2 and span the gap between the -adj acent edges of said sheets which are to be welded.

From the.description thus far it will be obvious that the sheets 2 which `Vare support`I nature of the rollers 42, as will beapparent from an inspection of the drawings, particularly Fig. 2.

While welding of the adjacent edges of sheets 2 may be eifected'electrically if desired, by use of suitable equipment in connection with the yoke A, the drawings herein illustrate the machine as adapted for-Oxy acetylene welding and therefore the yoke is provided with means for supporting yoxygen l and acetylene tanks which are indicated at 5.4 and 56, respectively. The tanks 54 and 56 are arranged respectively on each side of jaws 18 and 20 but the relative 4positionsthere-of; on the .jaws are reversed as shown clearly in Fig. 2 in `order to obtain proper -v balance. To each of the tanks suitable regulating'mechanism 58 including valves is provided which may sired construction.

The respective oxygen'and acetylene tanks are inter-,connected or drainage purposes, as will more clearly appear hereinafter, and as appears in Fig. 1 a connector pipe 60 leads be of any preferred or del from tank 54, being connected to the regulator 5 8 thereof, to anoxygpn conduit 62 supported on the yoke by brac ets 64 and having one end connected to a welding torch 66 ad justably mounted on the inner member 26 of as clearly shown in Fig. 1 are vertically arranged'in or'der to act immediately against the work. A second pre-heating burner 8 8. is provided which is arranged in such a posi' tion as to act against the under surface of the work as shown clearly in Fi 2'; said burner 88 receiving its fuel throng a branch pipe 90 leading from the torch 76. The oxygen tank 54 secured to the lower jaw 20 drains into the oxygen conduit 62 through a connector pipe 91' leading from said tank or its regulator v58 through the lower ,jaw and 1s connected to the said conduit 62 by a T 92. The two pre-heating burners 80 and- 88` provide means for heating each of the sheets 2 at the edges to be welded, as will be obvious. Referring to Fig. 1 it can be seen that the burners 80 and 88 of the pre-heatin torch 76 are positioned in advance of the urner 93 of the welding torch 66 whereby to heat the adjacent edges of the sheets 2 prior to welding, while the annealing torch has its burner 82 arran ed in such a position as to act against t e work subsequent to welding of the joint.

The drawings disclose only one annealing torch but this is merely by way of examplel as the resent invention contemplates means for gra ually retarding the cooling of the welded joint whereby to maintain uniform molecular structure in the welded joint and therefore 'a' plurality of annealing torches may be provided if desired. The present 1nvention further contemplates an annealing of a welded joint immediately followin the welding and prior to cooling, of the joint.

The present invention also contemplates the provision of a continuous method for forming welded joints which includes the retarding of the solidication of the joint whereby `toeect uniform shrinkage of the material.

This is in contradistinction tothe usual meth- 'od s1in'Which, Aafter Welding, the material 1s rplaced in an annealing `furnace and annealed.' These prior' methods contemplate an appreciable cooling ofthe welded joint prior to the annealing and in fact the cooling isquiterapidi in some instances.'

The present in- I .vention, instead of permitting the `Welded 'joint to appreciably cool after Welding and 'prior izo-annealing, contemplates a welding l and a-prevention of appreciable cooling andj in fact includes the positive retardation in the solidification' of the `lWeld, and this has been found to produce a VWelded joint'of a malleable character.

The appreciable cooling after Welding before annealing, resul-ts in cracks and fissures in the joint which are eliminated by the method of the present invention. It may be found desirable to main'- tain theY Welded joint at a. temperature substantially equal to or slightly less than that Y than Welding temperature, as desired, While It has been found that this annealing of the the others may beV adjusted-to obtain a progressive retardation .in cooling of'the joint.-

welded joint prior to cooling, or the gradual o r progressive retardation of cooling ofthe Welded joint provides for maintaining uniform .molecular structure in the Welded joint. This is in contradistinction to any method in which a piece 'of Workis iirst permitted to rapidly cool and then is subsequently heated and annealed;A the initial rapid coolingof the Work setting up internal stresses which -i distort and deforin the natural molecular structure ofthe work.

The acetylene tank 56 on nected through a connector pipe 94 to an acetylene conduit 96"(see Fig. 1) one end of Whichis provided with a T 98 and branch pipes 100 leading therefrom to the pre-heating and welding torches 7 6 and 78respectively. The torches 76 and 78. are each provided with suitable regulating means in the form 'of valves 101 for controlling themixture to the burners.` The other end of the acetylene conduit- 96 leads to the Welding-f torch 66 by means ofl a' branch pi 102, and the welding torch is also provide with suitable valves 104 forcontrolling'the mixture to the ,burner 93- of said welding torch. The

acetylene tank 56 carried bythe upper jaw 18.

drains into the acetylene conduit 96' through aA connector pipe 1 06 Which extends through the upper -jayv and is tapped-intosaid cdnduit 96 by'means of aT 108.

'Thevburner 93 ofwelding torch 66 is posiv I tioned soas to actagainst and fusel a Vweld to those skilled in tlie'art, butvit rod or wire 110 which is fed from a 'reel 112 supported on the upper-surface of the jaW'18 by meansof a bracket 114,.said bracketrbeing provided with a suitable spring brake 116. The Weld rod 110 passes between feeding rollers 118I and said rod is adapted to be ed p :ogressively by means of a hand-Wheel 120 carried by a shaft 122 extending through one side Wall 21 of jaw 18, the shaft 122 being connected to oneof the feeding rollers 118.

In use, Work such as tank sheets 2 are Supported .from a suitable base, not shown, and their edgeswhich are to be Welded tog-ether are arranged in the plane of the .gap 22 and a e claxnpingly held by means of the opposed rollers 42and 44;. The adjacent edges arepre-heated bymeans of the burners 80 and 88 of the pre-heating torch76, the pre-heating lteing in advance of the welding and bringing the adjacent edges of the sheets 2-toa Weld.

ing heat Which-is substantially at the point of fusion. The Welding torch will function .to deposit Weld metal from the rod 11G-between the adjacent edges of the sheets 2 and the weld metal is prevented from dz'oppingby means of the refractory block 56. The yoke, as heretofore described, is movable on track 4 and it Will be apparent that movement of' the Y voke to the left` as shown in Fig. 1 will cause progressive welding of the 'joint 'between adjacent edges of the sheets 2 and following pre-heating of -said edges. 'After the Weld metal has been deposited between the adja-4 cent edges of sheets 2and Welding of the joint eii'ected, the annealing Orch, which is preferably maintained to deliver alheat less intensive than, that of either the pre-heating or welding torches, serves to retard the cooling and to effect a gradual coolingof the Welded joint whereby to minimize or elimi.

nate the disadvantaggs resulting from the rapid cooling of a Welded in brittleness of the joint.

From the above description it is believed A Y that the operation and method ofthe present joint which results invention will' be. fully apparentto those -skilled in the art, it being obvious' that theV method includes first ai pre-heating of the 'ivork at the areal to be welded, it having been found unnecessary tol heatfthe entire work,

' the pre-heating being followed by the deposition of Weld metal by iiieails'A of a torch which further heats the pre-heated area and brings the. same to the exactv weldingtemperature, and subsequent tothese/ steps, the gradual reduction in temperature of the welded jointA l bymeans ofthe annealing torch. It is further believed -that the construction of thefmach'ne of the present invention .,vvill-be fully a parent fils), to be understood that the drawings are iforillus-v tratlve purposes only and various changesin the form' and proportions of the device may.

be made Withinv the scope `ofthe appended the invention.y

What is claimed is:. n l. A welding apparatus comprising, means claims without departing from the spiritof for holding the parts tolbe welded in adja cent relation, means supporting the apparatus to permit movement thereof relativ to said parts, pre-heating means and welding-means carried by the apparatus and adapted to actl against said parts sequentially upon movement of the apparatus relative to the said parts, and heating means carried by the apparatus adapted to act against the welded joint of said parts immediately following the deposition of weld metal thereto to retard cooling n of the joint to preserve the malleability'there- 2. A welding apparatus comprising a yoke, means on the yoke for holding the parts to be welded in adjacent relation between the jaws of the yoke, pre-heating and annealing torches carried by the yoke and adapted to act against the parts to be Welded, a weld rod adapted te be fed toward the parts at the jointto bwelded, a welding torch intermediate the pre-heatin and annealing torches and adapted to furt er'heat the parts after pre-heating thereof and to fuse the weld rod, and means supporting said yoke to permit movement thereof relative to the parts to be welded whereby to effect sequentially a preheating of the parts to be welded, 'a further heating of said parts at Vthe joint and the,

substantially simultaneous deposition of weld metal at the joint, and then a subsequent annealing of the welded joint.,

3. A welding apparatus comprisin a yoke including vertically spaced -jaws efinin a work receiving gap therebetween, oppose work engaging rollers carriedby the yoke jaws adjacent the, ends thereof, Pre-heating means on the lower jaw for acting against the work on each side of the joint to be welded,

.annealing means on the lower jaw spaced from' the pre-heating means and so arranged as to act directly on the `welded joint, and

l work receiving gap therebetween, adjusta :le

heating means on the upper jaw arranged in theplane of the space between the pre-heating and annealing means.

LA welding appartus comprising a yoke including vertically spaced jaws deiinin a work engaging rollers carried by the jaws at the ends thereof, pre-heating torches on the f area being welded.

fparts.

lower jaw adapted to act a ainst the work on each side of the joint to be ormed,an anneall ing torch on the lower jaw spacedv from the pre-heating torches and adapted to act d1- rectly against the welded joint, a fusible weld rod supported by the upper jaw, a welding torch carried bythe upper jaw and ladapted to fuse said weld rod and further adapted to additionally heat the work which has been pre-heated, said 'welding torch being arranged in the plane of the space between the pre-heating and annealing torches, inter-connected oxygen and acetylene tanks carried by the yoke and feeding the before mentioned i torches and means supporting the yoke toy quentially against the parts duringrelative movement between the apparatus and said parts, said heating means being' arranged closely adjacent the welding means whereby to act against the .welded joint immediately after the Welding to retard solidication Aof the joint, and a refractory block supported by the apparatus and adapted to 'contact with the underesurfaces of the 6. I n a welding apparatus, 4upper and' Vlower members adapted to bear-ranged on opposite surfaces of parts to be welded means for supporting said members, 4means hol means supported .by the lower member, welding means supported by the upper member,

and heating' means supported by the lower i member and so arranged as to act against the partsimmediately after actionof the weldy Ing'means to preventV rapid cooling of said In witness whereof I have hereunto set my work at the supported by'said members for engaging andy V ing the parts to be welded, pre-heating 

